Pichchenda Bao (she/her) is a Cambodian American poet and writer, infant survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, daughter of refugees, and feminist stay-at-home mother. Her work has been published by New Ohio Review, Cultural Daily, great weather for MEDIA and elsewhere. She co-edited the anthology, BRAVING THE BODY (Harbor Editions), with Nicole Callihan and Jennifer Franklin. She has received support and fellowships from Queens Council on the Arts, Aspen Words, Bethany Arts Community, and Kundiman. She lives, writes, and raises her three children in New York City. More at pichchendabao.com.

VISIT WWW.PICHCHENDABAO.COM

KUNDIMAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY POETRY PORTFOLIO

One Refugee Poet's Origin Story

By PICHCHENDA BAO

Today, someone will ask me / to write about war. / And I can write about it / because I am alive now.